Even Though the Gender Ratio Has Changed, My Attempts at Flirting With Women Are Unsuccessful

Chapter 21: The Exclusive Maid Won’t Ever Give Up Her Pair

The afternoon classes were finally over, and we returned to the classroom from the training grounds.

“Ow… my arms and legs are done for…” one student groaned.

“I’m definitely getting muscle aches tomorrow…” another muttered.

“Maybe I’ll head to the infirmary for some healing magic before going home,” someone else said.

Exhausted voices echoed around the room. Some students slumped over their desks, while others looked half-asleep.

The afternoon had included some lectures, but it was mostly physical training. For those who didn’t exercise regularly, it was probably brutal.

I was used to strength training and special drills, so I was fine.

“Sheffy, you okay? Not too tough on your body?” I asked.

“Yes, I’m fine. Thank you for your concern, Ark-sama,” Sheffy replied with a cool expression.

It was good to see Sheffy was holding up well.

After this, she’d be working as my exclusive maid, so I needed to make sure she got proper breaks too.

“Even though I’m skilled at healing magic and don’t need you to worry, you always check on me, don’t you, Ark-sama?” Sheffy said.

“Well, yeah. Magic’s convenient and all, but I want to hear it from you directly that you’re really okay,” I replied.

Maybe I felt this way because of my past-life memories. Back then, there wasn’t any magic or convenient stuff like that. That’s why it was important to look someone in the face and hear their words.

I noticed Sheffy giving me a soft smile.

“You’re truly kind, Ark-sama,” she said.

“Am I? I think I’m pretty normal… but if you think so, Sheffy, that makes me happy,” I said, smiling back.

I never wanted to do anything harsh to Sheffy. If she thought I was kind, that meant I was being a good master, right?

“Hey, what’s with that super sweet vibe…?” one classmate whispered.

“It’s like my exhaustion’s just melting away… no, purified…” another said.

“No way anyone can butt into that, right…?” someone else added.

Just as the warm atmosphere settled in, our homeroom teacher, Ms. Louise, walked into the classroom. She clapped her hands, her clear voice ringing out.

“Let’s start the end-of-day homeroom. First, an announcement. It was decided in the faculty meeting earlier, but… two weeks from now, we’ll hold a paired exam.”

The classroom buzzed with murmurs.

“And those who fail this exam… will be expelled,” Ms. Louise continued, pausing briefly.

The air in the class froze at her words. No surprise there. We’d just fought hard to pass the entrance exam and enroll, and now we had to think about expulsion already?

“Well then, as your senior, let me give you one piece of advice,” Press-senpai’s words from earlier echoed in my mind. “Now that the entrance ceremony is over and you’re officially students of this academy, you’re no longer guests. This academy isn’t some cushy paradise with fancy facilities. It’s a place for those who strive for greatness. Do your best to survive.”

Her words were more important than I’d realized.

“Expulsion already…?” one student muttered.

“This is bad… I need to find a partner,” another said.

“Who should I pair with…?” someone else wondered.

Everyone’s voices were tinged with anxiety.

There were more announcements after that, but it was clear everyone’s minds were consumed with the paired exam.

“That’s all for the announcements,” Ms. Louise said. “One last thing about the paired exam. Boys will generally pair with their attendants. That’s what attendants are for, after all.”

Nice! That meant Sheffy and I were a confirmed pair.

“But… Ark, Sheffy,” Ms. Louise continued.

Oh? There was more?

“Your duo is too strong. Normally, this wouldn’t be an issue with a boy and his attendant, but how about splitting up this time—”

“No,” Sheffy interrupted, answering instantly before Ms. Louise could finish. Her voice held no trace of hesitation.

“Ark-sama, let’s do our best together,” she said, looking at me with steady eyes.

“Y-yeah…” I nodded, caught off guard by her intensity.

Ms. Louise sighed. “Fine. It’s the first exam, and you’re all in the same boat with expulsion on the line, so I won’t push it.”

Wow, a paired exam, huh? I definitely didn’t want to get expelled, and even if I aimed to pass, it sounded like other classes would be doing the same thing.

Depending on the exam’s content, Tiana from another class… might end up being my enemy.

—

Chapter 22: The Villain’s Childhood Friend Has Already Chosen Her Pair

Homeroom was over, and it was finally after school.

But today, most of the students stayed in the classroom.

Why, you ask?

“Please, pair up with me!” one girl pleaded.

“No way, I asked her first! She passed the entrance exam with top marks!” another argued.

“If you pair with me, we’d have a great balance of offense and defense!” someone else chimed in.

“You’re good with water magic, right? We’d be a perfect match!” another voice added.

The classroom was filled with frantic voices as classmates scrambled to find partners for the upcoming exam. Failing meant immediate expulsion, so naturally, everyone was desperate.

“Let’s start the end-of-day homeroom,” Ms. Louise had said. “First, an announcement. It was decided in the faculty meeting earlier, but… two weeks from now, we’ll hold a paired exam.”

She’d made it sound like it was a sudden decision, but I suspected the exam itself was planned from the start, and only the date had been finalized.

“Now, let’s see you show off your best magic,” Ms. Louise had instructed earlier that morning.

Thinking back, we’d been talking about training our bodies to survive, but then it suddenly shifted to showcasing our strongest magic. That display, combined with knowing everyone’s entrance exam rankings, meant we all had a sense of each other’s abilities. That’s why the partner selection was so intense now.

If that morning’s showcase was deliberately set up as a prelude to this pairing process… that’s kind of chilling. This academy really wasn’t your average place.

“Ark-sama, since we’re already paired, shall we leave the classroom?” Sheffy suggested.

“Yeah, we’re probably just in the way here. Sorry for making you wait, Sheffy,” I replied.

“No, it’s fine. As long as I’m by your side, Ark-sama, I don’t mind,” she said kindly.

Sheffy was so considerate. What a great girl.

We stepped out into the hallway, but the voices of our classmates still echoed clearly. It seemed like no one was going home until they secured a partner.

“By the way, Tiana’s running late,” I noted.

I was waiting for Tiana again today. It wasn’t a training day, but we’d planned to head home together. Well, “head home” meant riding in a carriage. Since starting at the academy, I’d suggested walking, but Mom absolutely wouldn’t allow it. Sheffy and Tiana were against it too, probably because of my status as part of the Nott family.

Still, there was no sign of Tiana yet.

“Sheffy, have you heard anything?” I asked.

“No, nothing,” she replied.

“Hmm…” I muttered. We’d had a similar exchange yesterday.

Where could Tiana be? Yesterday, she’d been called to the courtyard. Today… wait, I had a hunch!

“I bet she’s in Class A today. Let’s go, Sheffy.”

“Yes, Ark-sama,” she agreed.

So, we headed to Class A. Peeking through the door, I saw exactly what I’d expected.

“Tiana-sama! Please, be my partner!” one student begged.

“No, pick me instead!” another insisted.

“I asked first!” someone else shouted.

“Tiana-sama, I specialize in fire magic…” yet another voice added.

A huge crowd—practically the entire class—was swarming around Tiana, hands reaching out and voices clamoring.

Not a single boy in sight, though. Guess I missed them again.

Well, boys were supposed to pair with their attendants, and they probably didn’t want to get caught up in this mess, so they’d left quickly.

For this paired exam, the most important thing was your partner’s strength. Someone like Tiana, who’d topped the entrance exam, was naturally in high demand. Her strength was undeniable.

But the scene unfolding before me wasn’t exactly pleasant. Why?

“They always dismiss me as some genius noble or prodigy, keeping their distance, but now they come running when it’s convenient,” Tiana said in a low voice.

The noisy classroom fell silent, as if her words had cast a spell.

That silence lasted only a moment before the voices started up again.

“B-but the paired exam! Expulsion’s on the line!” one student cried.

“If I get expelled, what am I supposed to tell my parents…?” another whimpered.

“I barely passed the entrance exam this year. I can’t let it end here…” someone else said.

Everyone was crowding Tiana because they didn’t want to be expelled. I got it—wanting to rely on someone strong made sense.

But Tiana had the right to choose her partner too.

“I don’t want to pair with people who only rely on me when it suits them. I like people who always give their all. So, I won’t be pairing with any of you. Besides… I’ve already chosen my partner,” Tiana declared.

The classroom buzzed with murmurs.

“Ark-sama?” Sheffy looked at me intently.

“What? Are you thinking I’d pair with Tiana?” I asked.

“No, I’m pairing with you, Sheffy. You were the first to ask me, after all.”

“Ark-sama…!” Sheffy’s face lit up, even though I’d just stated the obvious.

Tiana was in a different class, so we probably couldn’t pair up anyway. Ms. Louise had only mentioned the paired exam, not any rules about cross-class pairing. But was there really a loophole like that?

“Who is it, Tiana-sama? Who’s your partner?” one student demanded.

“Are you lying to brush us off?” another accused.

The classroom grew noisier. Amid the commotion, Tiana started walking. All eyes naturally followed her.

She stopped at a desk where a girl was quietly reading a book.

“Crora, would you be my partner?” Tiana asked.

“Uh, w-what…?” the girl stammered, flustered.

Her black hair reached her waist, and her long bangs hid her eyes. She had a quiet demeanor, but her chest was anything but subtle—definitely mature in that regard. Her oversized uniform hung loosely, yet her chest still strained against it, practically shouting for attention.

Black hair, large chest… wait, why did this feel familiar?

“Why would she pick a failure like her…?” one student muttered.

“Isn’t that girl the younger sister of Press-senpai, the second-year disciplinary committee leader? But I heard she’s nothing special,” another whispered.

“Yeah, during the morning announcement, the teacher said her entrance exam rank was near the bottom,” someone else added.

I couldn’t hear their exact words from where I stood, but the class was clearly confused. It made sense—finding out the person you wanted to pair with already had a partner would throw anyone off.

“Um, Tiana-chan? We don’t really talk in class…” Crora said hesitantly.

“Yeah, but I needed to say it clearly this time. Sorry, was I bothering you? About being my partner, I mean,” Tiana replied.

“N-no, it’s not a bother! But… is it really okay to pair with someone like me? Everyone needs you, Tiana-chan…” Crora said.

“Not ‘someone like you.’ You’re the only one I want to pair with, Crora,” Tiana said, giving her a gentle smile.

“…Lucky. She’s definitely passing the exam,” one student muttered.

“She’s probably survived this long by doing stuff like this,” another said.

“They’re both from the four great noble families, so it’s probably just pity, right?” someone speculated.

“Yeah, having a powerful family really gives you an edge,” another added.

Sensing the classroom’s mood turning sour, I spoke up.

“Hey, Tiana and crew! I’m here to pick you up!” I called out cheerfully.

Tiana immediately looked my way. “Oh, you came to get me. Let’s go.”

Her gaze drew every eye in the classroom to me.